Trending

What's the deal with Beyonce's forthcoming album?

(Yahoo!) - There's no denying that Beyoncé has been hard at work this year, what with her Mrs. Carter Show world tour in full swing, major ad campaigns for Pepsi and H&M, and her notorious Super Bowl performance.

But now, on the eve of Beyonce's 32nd birthday, we find ourselves wondering, what's the deal with her forthcoming album? Fans and industry big-wigs have been waiting with baited breath to see what the self-managed superstar will deliver as the follow-up to 2011's "4."

Sure we've been teased with the tune "Grown Woman," which appeared an a Pepsi commercial, as well as "Standing On the Sun," which debuted in an H&M ad featuring the bikini-clad star frolicking in the waves. But neither of these were singles, and rumors abound that the record's release date was pushed back due to an unfavorable response to initial tunes.

Then there was "Rise Up" from the animated film "Epic"that popped up a few months ago, but it appears that the complete versions of that song that were circulating around the internet have since been taken down.

In July, the Hollywood Reporter stated that Queen Bey auditioned more than 50 songs for her fifth solo studio album, which she's been working on with several renowned contributors including Diplo, Sia and Ne-Yo, but she reportedly decided to scrap them and start over.

Beyoncé's label, Columbia Records, initially hoped that her album would be ready for a spring release, but alas, it did not come to pass. Executives then hoped she'd have it ready by the fall to compete with major releases by Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, but it looks as though that may be a pipe dream as well.

That said, she was spotted filming a new Terry Richardson-directed video just last week in Coney Island. Could this video be for the new single we've all been waiting for? It's anybody's guess. Beyoncé's camp still claims that the new album will come out this year, but it looks like we'll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, we wish Queen Bey a happy birthday.